New York 2140

by Kim Stanley Robinson

Efficiency, n. The speed and frictionlessness with which money moves from the poor to the rich.

Jeff cackles along with Charlotte. She refills their cups. Mutt feels a smile stretching his face in an almost forgotten way. He clicks ceramic cups with Jeff. “It’s good to see you happy again, my friend.” “I’m not happy. I’m furious. I’m fucking furious.” “Exactly.”

When the Russian revolution of 1917 had lasted seventy-two days, Lenin went out into the street and danced a little dance. They had lasted longer than the Commune, he said. In the event they lasted seventy-two years. But so much had gone wrong.

Hexter laughed. “That’s how I always used to think of it. Did you ever see Vampires Versus Zombies? No, you didn’t. A very great movie. The vampires fly around sucking the blood of working people. That’s the best blood to suck. When the workers are drained they turn into zombies, so the vampires fly somewhere else and drop in on a new population, leaving behind the zombies, who stagger around dead at that point.” “So that would be their he-ge-mony,” Roberto said carefully. “You are so good. So yeah, more and more people get their blood sucked and turn into zombies, and then when they’re almost all zombies—” “All but one!” “All but two.” “Right, you two. But then the zombies decide it’s time to revolt.” “About time!” “Better late than never.” “Exactly. So the zombies all slouch off toward the vampire castle, determined to invade. But they’re very slow. At first the vampires just laugh. But there’s no new blood for them to suck either, so the vampires are slowing down too. Eventually the whole movie is in slow motion, it’s hilarious. The zombies keep falling apart when they hit somebody, and the vampires can only bite. They’re pretty weak on both sides. As usual the scene goes on too long. But finally the zombies just kind of crush the vampires under the weight of their detached limbs. The end.” “I want to see that.” “Me too!” “Me too,” Hexter said.